Bearing lubricating system

Abstract

The specification discloses a bearing lubricating system including a shaft having two inner raceways formed therearound and a concentric bore formed in the shaft. Passageways communicate between the bore and the inboard portion of the inner raceways. Balls are provided having radii slightly less than the arc radii of the raceways. The bearing structure is completed by an outer ring having two outer raceways formed therein. The outer raceways in the outer ring are separated more than the separation between the inner raceways in the shaft such that the balls contact the inner and outer raceways at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bearings. As a result, the balls contact the inner raceways on the outboard portion of the raceways to prevent the balls from contacting the opening of the passageways into the inner raceways. The bore formed in the shaft is threaded along its entire length and is loaded with a suitable lubricant. A set screw is threadedly engaged in the threaded bore to form a reservoir of lubricant communicating with the passageways leading to the inner raceways. By selectively advancing the set screw in the threaded bore, lubricant is forced through the passageways and expelled onto the inner raceways where the lubricant is applied to and picked up by the balls as they move in the raceways.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bearing lubricating system comprising: a shaft having an inner raceway formed therearound, a longitudinal bore formed in said shaft and a passageway communicating between the bore and one side of the inner raceway,   balls for tracking the inner raceway formed around said shaft, said balls having a radius smaller than the radius of the arc of the inner raceway in said shaft,   an outer ring having an outer raceway formed therein, said outer ring being receivable around said balls to retain said balls between said outer ring and said shaft, and the outer raceway formed in said outer ring and the inner raceway formed in said shaft so that when a thrust load is applied the balls contact the inner and outer raceways at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bearing and where the balls contact the inner raceway on the side opposite that side through which the passageway between the bore and the inner raceway is formed such that said balls do not track over the opening of the passageway into the inner raceway, and   means engageable within the bore of said shaft for selectively forcing lubricant loaded in the bore through the passageway to the inner raceway where the lubricant lubricates the bearing.   
     
     
       2. The bearing lubricating system of claim 1 wherein said force means comprises: a threaded set screw fitting for engaging corresponding threads formed in the bore of said shaft whereby said set screw fitting may be advanced or withdrawn from said bore by turning to force lubricant from the bore.   
     
     
       3. A bearing lubricating system comprising: a shaft having a concentric bore formed therein, and a passageway communicating between the bore and the outer circumference of said shaft;   an inner ring adapted to fit on said shaft and having an inner raceway formed therearound, said inner ring having a passageway formed therein communicating between the passageway in said shaft and one side of the inner raceway;   ball bearings for tracking the inner raceway formed around said inner ring;   an outer ring having an outer raceway formed therein and receivable about said balls to retain said balls between said inner and outer rings, the outer raceway in said outer ring and the inner raceway in said inner ring being formed such that the balls contact the inner raceway on the side opposite the side through which the passageway through the inner ring is formed such that said balls do not track over the opening of the passageway into the inner raceway; and   means engageable within the bore of said shaft for selectively forcing lubricant loaded in the bore through the passageway in the shaft and the passageway in the inner ring to the inner raceway where the lubricant lubricates the bearing.   
     
     
       4. The bearing lubricating system of claim 3 wherein said means for selectively forcing lubricant out of the bore formed in said shaft comprises: a threaded fitting for engaging corresponding threads formed in the bore of said shaft whereby said fitting may be advanced or withdrawn from said bore to vary the volume of the bore by turning the fitting.   
     
     
       5. A bearing lubricating system comprising: a shaft having two inner raceways formed therearound, a concentric bore formed in said shaft and passageways communicating between the bore and the inner raceways,   balls having a diameter slightly less than the arc diameter of said raceways for tracking the inner raceway formed around said shaft,   an outer ring having two outer raceways formed therein, the outer raceways in said outer ring having a separation different from the separation between the inner raceways in said shaft such that the balls contact the inner and outer raceways at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bearing and where said balls contact the inner raceways on the sides of the inner raceways removed from the points of communication of the passageways between the bore and the inner raceways to prevent the balls from tracking over the opening of the passageways into the inner raceways, and   means for selectively forcing lubricant loaded in the bore through the passageways to the inner raceways where the lubricant lubricates the bearing.   
     
     
       6. The bearing lubricating system of claim 5 wherein said means for selectively forcing lubricant out of the bore formed in said shaft comprises: a threaded fitting for engaging corresponding threads formed in the bore of said shaft whereby said fitting may be advanced into said bore to vary the volume of the bore thereby forcing lubricant out of the bore onto the inner raceway.   
     
     
       7. The bearing lubricating assembly of claim 5 wherein the outer raceways in said outer ring are separated more than the separation between the inner raceways in said shaft such that said balls contact the inner raceways on the outboard sides of the inner raceways and wherein the passageways between the bore and the inner raceways communicate to the inboard side of the inner raceways. 
     
     
       8. A bearing lubricating system comprising: a shaft having two inner raceways formed therearound, a concentric bore formed in said shaft and passageways communicating between the bore and the inner raceways,   balls having a diameter slightly less than the arc diameter of said raceways for tracking the inner raceway formed around said shaft,   an outer ring having two outer raceways formed therein, the outer raceways in said outer ring having a separation different from the separation between the inner raceways in said shaft such that the balls contact the inner and outer raceways at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bearing and where said balls contact the inner raceways on the sides of the inner raceways removed from the points of communication of the passageways between the bore and the inner raceways to prevent the balls from tracking over the opening of the passageways into the inner raceways, said passageways in said shaft communicating to the bore at a common point such that lubricant is equally distributed through the passageways; and   means engageable within the bore of said shaft for selectively forcing lubricant loaded in the bore through the passageways in the shaft to the inner raceways.